Recreational Drug Use Legalization

[TheMercenary]

I am sure you guys have had some extensive discussions about this subject, but I have not had it with any of you. It seems to me that there is a number of people who support the wholesale legalization of drugs, of single, multiple, or various categories. I was just wondering if anyone who supports this as a policy we should adopt would care to share there thoughts on why this would be a good thing and what if any caveats you may have on such a policy. Further, does anyone besides me think this is not a good thing, other then as I stated earlier I would support the decriminalization and taxation of Pot use. Have at it...

[binky]

I support the decrimilization of pot, and think that anyone simply in possession for personal use, of anything else, should not be jailed unless they have committed some other crime as well

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by binky

I support the decrimilization of pot, and think that anyone simply in possession for personal use, of anything else, should not be jailed unless they have committed some other crime as well

I could agree with that. There would have to be some limit on how much you could have on your person vs. how much you have in your house. For example I could see someone having 1/2 ounce on their person and more at home. I don't think they should be penalized for it.

[glatt]

I think drug users should not go to prison for using drugs. Doesn't matter if they are doing heroin or pot. Don't lock them up unless they are committing another crime.

I think pot is pretty benign, and should be legal but regulated, like booze and tobacco.

I'm not sure about dealers of "hard drugs." Heroin, crystal meth, etc. are very harmful to society, and the people who deal that shit are a problem.

[freshnesschronic]

Green is just awesome. That should be handed out at birthday parties, New Year's and Independence Day

Oh those fireworks would be fuckin' bossssss

[SteveDallas]

Originally Posted by glatt

I'm not sure about dealers of "hard drugs." Heroin, crystal meth, etc. are very harmful to society, and the people who deal that shit are a problem.

If it were legal, wouldn't that mitigate the problem with the dealers? Who would buy off the local street gang when they could stop and pick up a package at Target?

Originally Posted by TheMercenary

[i] think this is not a good thing, other then as I stated earlier I would support the decriminalization and taxation of Pot use. Have at it...

Why do you think pot is different from other illegal drugs?

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by SteveDallas

Why do you think pot is different from other illegal drugs?

Because I see it as no less destructive than alcohol, which is already legal, and because I think it has a medical use component that is largely ignored by the government blinded by it illegal status.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by glatt

I think drug users should not go to prison for using drugs. Doesn't matter if they are doing heroin or pot. Don't lock them up unless they are committing another crime.

I think pot is pretty benign, and should be legal but regulated, like booze and tobacco.

I'm not sure about dealers of "hard drugs." Heroin, crystal meth, etc. are very harmful to society, and the people who deal that shit are a problem.

Yea, I agree, well about the pot thing. And here is the rub, since I work in health care I see first hand the damage other more serious drugs do to people, family, society at large. I could never agree to legalize the more hard core stuff and I still think they should be penalized and go to jail or some prison camp or something made just for drug offenders. The hard core drugs have a significant toll on our society.

Which brings us to "The War on Drugs". The only way to stem the tide is to decrease demand. But since that obviously has not worked worth a damm, than what?

[glatt]

Originally Posted by SteveDallas

If it were legal, wouldn't that mitigate the problem with the dealers? Who would buy off the local street gang when they could stop and pick up a package at Target?

Hard drugs are bad for 3 reasons.

1. The users: a.) They are obviously ruining their health and future, destroying their family, etc. b.) And they often resort to crime to support their habits.

2. The dealers: They bring violence into the drug trade.

If you legalize hard drugs, you will eliminate the dealer violence, but the user issues will still be there.

[lumberjim]

it's not legal because it's too hard to regulate production and tax it. moneymoneymoneymoney

[Dingleschmutz]

Originally Posted by lumberjim

it's not legal because it's too hard to regulate production and tax it. moneymoneymoneymoney

Ding ding ding... It's kinda hard to tax someone who picks the seeds out of what they're smoking and throws them in a planter somewhere... No, beer is much easier to tax.

[glatt]

Originally Posted by lumberjim

it's not legal because it's too hard to regulate production and tax it. moneymoneymoneymoney

Originally Posted by Dingleschmutz

Ding ding ding... It's kinda hard to tax someone who picks the seeds out of what they're smoking and throws them in a planter somewhere... No, beer is much easier to tax.

I don't believe it for a second. Nobody grows their own tobacco. It's much easier to buy a carton of cigarettes than to grow your own, dry the leaves and roll them. Probably cheaper too, even with the taxes on tobacco.

You legalize pot, and it will be dirt cheap. The only cost will be the taxes. Nobody will grow their own. Too much trouble.

[smoothmoniker]

There is a sliding scale of rationality and drug use. Someone can smoke a pound a week of pot and still make rational choices about their life, about which actions to take and their consequences.

In my industry, I've seen too many people who are tragically f'd up on the harder stuff, and not one of them is capable of making rational choices in the other areas of their life. They cannot comprehend the idea of choosing between buying food for their kids and shooting their arm full of shit. There is no choice. They can't make the choice.

Anything which, when regularly used as intended, obliterates the rational participation of people in civil society, that thing should not be tolerated.

[Cloud]

Originally Posted by TheMercenary

It seems to me that there is a number of people who support the wholesale legalization of drugs, of single, multiple, or various categories.

Really? all drugs? I don't know of anyone who supports this, even among various stoner friends. But I don't hang out with tweakers or junkies.

Just potheads.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by Cloud

Really? all drugs? I don't know of anyone who supports this, even among various stoner friends. But I don't hang out with tweakers or junkies.

Just potheads.

Yea, I am talking about comments I hear on this forum. The WOD this, people in prison for drug related crime, etc. I was just putting a feeler out to hear what people thought about it.